


Stakeholder

by seeyouspaceweeb



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben hates himself too much, Bensexual Rey, Childhood Friends, Dead Malls, F/M, Han and Leia had passed in present time, Love at First Sight, Nostalgic Mall shit, Please keep tag of the tags and the ratings just in case, Reysexual Ben, Slow Burn AF, So much retro mall architecture shit, Troll Luke, Unrequited Love, Wow stop watching dan bell vids wtf, hopelessly in love rey, kid kisses kid on the cheek with consent ofc, some of yall might say "how do malls help communities" let me write it up pls, star-crossed lovers, vaporwave
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:28:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22938685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seeyouspaceweeb/pseuds/seeyouspaceweeb
Summary: Summary: Benjamin Organa-Solo was left with all the riches of the Skywalkers and Organas, including Niima Mall, a mall about to be completely closed due to a series of unfortunate events. Enter Rey Palpatine, a child he helped in his childhood days, who's eager to help him keep the establishment, and even restore it to its glory days. But one: she is the sole heiress to Exegol Enterprises, a company hell-bent in purchasing the mall's land for their interests more than the community's, and two: why does she keep retracting stuff she has to say and says other things instead?TL;DR: Hello, ride with me as i write the dead mall + josei story of my dreams.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Leia Organa/Han Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





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**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Couples who kiss on the lips in front of the counter get a FREE strawberry roll!
> 
> Funny story: Pepper Rice PH posted a Valentine's promo where ya kiss in front of the counter and ya get some sweets. The chat was like YAAAAS and WRITE ITTTT so haha here i am XD
> 
> So bottles up to yalls at Reylos PH, not only for enabling me to write but also for being a nice group to hang out with despite the ups and downs, both in fandom and irl.

Almost thirty years ago, the Organa Estates established a mall to help their city thrive. Bail and Breha Organa, through their vast network, helped local entrepreneurs with grants or easy payable loans that helped their businesses get a head-start. Because of their combined efforts, Niima Mall quickly became the ultimate hangout for the modern-day family in just a decade and was the most glamorous mall in all of Coruscant.

As to continue her parent's mission, Leia, along with her newfound family in husband Han and only child Benjamin, would visit the mall on Saturdays to talk with the community. They would treat each tenant AND customer like family to the point of helping hands-on when trouble comes their way.

It was in this spirit that Little Benjamin ran to the mall's fountain with determination.

"Slow down now, kid," his father cried, six paper bags in his tow, "don't want 'ya to trip!"

"Benjamin Solo, come back here or so help me God--" his mom says exasperatedly, four paper shopping bags dangling from the crook of both her arms as she tries to catch up.

Little Benjamin looks behind and sees his mom and dad. "This is important, mom," he shouts, his little feet slowing a little, "I must make the wish before the big and little hand point up!"

He makes it to the front of the fountain. He looks up. _Oh no, have to be fast_ , he thinks. He closes his eyes and mutters the poem just as Granny taught him.

> _Blue Waters of Niima, pretty, pretty please,_
> 
> _Grant my little wish to put my heart at ease_.

He tosses the coin to the fountain, right on time for the waters to shoot up and the clock to chime. There! His new friend will find her family now, for sure.

* * *

Almost twenty years ago, Niima Mall _was_ the ultimate hangout for the modern-day family. It _was_ the most glamorous mall in the city of Coruscant. But due to a domino effect, it is now only a shell of what it used to be.

Ever since Han's mix-up with the wrong crowd, the mall has slowly lost money to support its tenants. This, along with the internet age and Han's and Leia's demise, has made tenants leave one by one until only a few tenants and a small grocery were left. Benjamin, now almost thirty, partnered up with his Uncle Luke to help those who remained, which was getting harder and harder, especially since land-grabbing agents are getting more persistent, even resulting to threatening their tenants to give it up.

Benjamin looks at the fountain then the elevator-tower clock, as he always does before he leaves. The fountain doesn't shoot up water since it was shut down years ago and it now has dirt and grime between its tiles. The clock's white face is yellowing and its hands are forever stuck at 12:02. Both pieces of fine work, as well as the greenery ( _Or should it be grey-nery now?_ He jests) around it, have been poorly maintained over the past years ever since they prioritized closing up empty spaces and cleaning up only the first and the second floor.

He and Uncle Luke have argued a few hours ago about whether to keep fighting against the tide or to give in and just use the gains to help those who stayed. He isn't so sure what to do anymore, especially since this mall just brings more hurt than happiness for him nowadays. Tossing a coin to the now-dry fountain, he once again mutters the couplet he was taught, hoping that a silly rhyme will conveniently give him answers. He looks at his watch and, yep, it's now exactly 12 noon.

He looks around. There's no one in this building during this time except an old couple jogging along the pathways, the two on-duty sales clerks at Bubble and Sud Works, some tenants in the food court...

... And a lovely lady walking towards a spot a few feet from him.

Her chestnut hair is tied in three buns behind her head and she wore a faded blue shirt and ragged jeans. Her slightly tanned and freckled skin is illuminated by the sun, barely filtered by the glass ceiling above them. She, too, is looking at the clock's face as she clutches her left wrist tightly with her right hand, donning a bittersweet expression before sighing and observing her worn-out sneakers. 

He feels a _deja vu_ moment happening and puts a finger to it: years ago, he also saw a young girl whose hair was fashioned like this lady's. The girl was also wearing a sad expression as she stared at the clock. Could it be...?

Hands in his pockets, he slowly approaches her. "Excuse me," he says softly, like how he did before, "may I help you?"

She looks at him and they share a wide-eyed expression of realization. Only, a few milliseconds after, she looks down and stammers "I- ah-" as a red flush gradually fills her cheeks. 

Here, she covers her mouth with both hands for a few seconds then puts her hands in both pockets, straightening up and looking at him with the most stoic expression an embarrassed person can give. 

"You. You are Mister Benjamin Organa-Solo, yes?" 

"Yes," he utters, exhaling because this the sudden change in atmosphere stole his remaining speech abilities, "it's me." 

Here, she grabs something from her backpack and kneels with her left. 

"Benjamin, years ago in this place you rescued me with a free tour, a report to the police, and free cake. Ever since, you have been my prince. My knight in shining armor." 

With this loud and well-rehearsed speech, the two old people jogging stopped on their tracks, the sales clerks stopped scrolling their screens, and Benjamin's whole system stopped from functioning. 

"I, Rey Palpatine, want to m-- I mean!!!" 

She finally brings out that damned item from her backpack. 

"Wish!!! To help bring Niima Mall back to its full glory!" 

And in front of him are Rey Palpatine's puppy-eyes impression and a folder as thick as her wrists.

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**Author's Note:**

> .... time to actually research to make sure my bullshit is believable bullshit QWQ


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